Flush mount multiport connection box

ABSTRACT

A connection box for communications cabling, especially useful for fiber optic connections, which is capable of being mounted entirely within a standard depth wall or column framing. The box has a depth which is less than the depth of a standard office wall, open to the outside, and with an open bottom (as the box is mounted vertically in the wall). Cables enter the box, either through the open bottom or through a cable fitting, and are attached to a fitting on a removable connector module mounted to the box. A cover can be attached over the open side of the box, flush with the wall, concealing the interconnections.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to the field of housings for connection totelecommunications systems. More particularly, the invention pertains toflush-mount housing boxes for telecommunications connectors, especiallyfiber optic.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

While at one time office wiring was simple--at most a few electricaloutlets and a telephone wire or two--the advent of computer networks,fax machines, electronic telephones, video conferencing, and the likehave greatly increased the complexity of the interconnections in modernoffices. At the same time, with modular office cubicles, mobile ways,and the like it is becoming more common for offices not to havepermanent ways at all. This has complicated the process of arranging thewiring for a modern office.

In a common arrangement, power wiring and communications interconnectsare brought down within framed walls or the framing around supportcolumns. The modular cubicle ways, with desks attached, are assembledaround these permanent columns. The network and telephone wiring for thecubicles is run through the modular walls, and connected to a junctionbox on one or more of the columns. Sometimes the network wiring is doneas a continuous "home run" from each cubicle, through the modular ways,up the column into the plenum, and then to a network or communicationsserver. In other cases, the junction box contains an array of socketswhich are wired to the network wiring, and the cubicle wires are runinto the junction box and plugged in to these sockets.

At present, the junction boxes for network wiring, especially the fiberoptic cables coming into common use, are mounted on the surface of thewall. The wiring from the server or the like enters the box either fromthe rear through a hole in the way, or down the column in a "raceway" or"wiremold" conduit. For example, see the Siecor model WCC-048 wall mountcabinet, manufactured by Siecor Corporation of Hickory, N.C. As istypical of the type, that cabinet extends some 31/2" out from the wall.

This situation is not desirable for many offices, which would prefer tohave the communications interconnections, especially the relativelyfragile fiber optic cables, entirely concealed within a wall or column.If an office tends to move the modular dividers frequently, this isespecially important, as the office management will not want to leaveprotruding boxes or large holes on the walls or columns where surfaceboxes once were.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a connection box for communications cabling,especially useful for fiber optic connections, which is capable of beingmounted entirely within a standard depth wall or column framing. The boxhas a depth which is less than the depth of a standard office wall, opento the outside, and with an open bottom (as the box is mountedvertically in the wall). Cables enter the box, either through the openbottom or through a cable fitting, and are attached to a fitting on aremovable connector module mounted to the box. A cover can be attachedover the open side of the box, flush with the wall, concealing theinterconnections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side cut-away view of a wall with the box of theinvention installed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the connector box. As can be seen inthat figure, the box itself is made up of a body which has a solid back(18) and at least three sides (1), and is open on its face andpreferably on one end (11). The sides (1) are shallow enough for the boxto fit entirely within a standard wall, with the front of the box flushagainst the surface of the wall. Since nearly all commercial wallconstruction is based on the use of 2"×4" studs made of stamped metal orwood (these studs are actually 11/2"×31/2 finished, in the case ofwood), covered with a 1/2" or so layer of gypsum board or the like, thedepth of the sides is preferably no more than about 3".

The lengths of the sides will vary based on the number, type andarrangement of connector panels desired. For a three-panel box designedfor Siecor "FDC" series panels (see below), a width of 71/2" and aheight of 10" would be appropriate.

Surrounding three sides of the open face in the preferred embodiment isa mounting flange (5), which serves to fasten the box to the face of awall. Alternatively, the box could be mounted to a stud by screws driventhrough holes in one side (1).

A flush cover (13) can be provided to hide the cabling in the box andprotect it from damage, and is fastened to the flange by screws or otherfasteners passing through holes (14) in the cover and (2) in the flange.If desired, other fastening arrangements such as magnet strips or matingVelcro® material on the flange and cover plate could be provided.

Inside the box are mounted a number of removable connector panels (7)and (8), which mount to flanges (10) in the sides (1) of the box. Theflanges (10) are mounted at an angle to the vertical, which eases theconnection of fiber optic or other cables to the connectors on thepanels, and minimizes the necessity to bend the fiber optics at a sharpangle against the back of the box (18) or the cover (13). As shown inthe drawing, the flanges for the bottom-most connector panel arepreferably mounted slightly more horizontally than the others, pointingthe connectors on any panel mounted to the flanges toward the openbottom (11) of the box.

The removable connector panels have a number of connectors, such as thefiber optic "barrels" (17) on panel (7), or the modular communicationsconnectors (9) on panel (8), or coaxial connectors, or some mix of theseor other connectors. Cabling (16) can be passed into the box through aconduit or other fitting (3) in the top of the box, through astrain-relief (4), and the plug (15) on the end of the cable pluggedinto the back of one of the connectors (17) on the connector panel (7).The number of connectors on the panel can vary depending on the kind andmix of connectors. Preferably, these connector panels are standardizedfor width and interchangeable within the box. The connector panels areheld to the flanges (10) by fasteners (6), preferably the "pop-in/out"type shown, in which the fastener comprises a knob with a flared endwhich is pushed into an expanding part to cause the expanding part toexpand behind the flange, holding the panel in place. Alternatively,screws or half-twist (Dzuz®) fasteners could be used.

Connector panels such as the "FDC", "HDC" or "WS" series manufactured bySiecor would be especially suitable for use with the invention. Aneight-connector fiber panel as shown at (7) would be model FDC-CP8-09,with the numbers differing based upon what connectors are specified onthe board. A four-modular panel as shown at (8) would beWS-1AA-1AA-1AA-1AA. Similar panels are available with modular telephoneconnectors, or with a combination of the two.

A strain-relief panel (4) can be provided, through which the cabling(16) can pass, to prevent damage to the connectors if the cabling ispulled in the plenum outside the box. The strain relief (4) may be asimple flat plate with an array of holes, a clamp of some kind, or someother arrangement as may be convenient.

FIG. 2 shows how the box of the invention works within a wall.

The wall of the example is shown as a free-standing wall made up of twogypsum board (Sheetrock®) panels (20) and (21) spaced apart (29) by thethickness of a stud (31/2", typically), with (21) being the side insidethe room or cubicle. If this box were being mounted on a framed-out wallaround a structural column, then the column would form the inside of thewall, rather than the panel (20).

The flanges (5) surrounding the connector box of the invention aremounted to the surface (21) of the wall, by adhesive, or screws, or anyother convenient means. As can be seen in FIG. 2, because the depth ofthe sides (1) of the box is less than that of the wall (preferably 3" orless), the entire box is invisibly mounted completely below the surface(21) of the wall, with only the flanges and (optional) cover showing.

The cabling, here shown as fiber optic cable (23) descends inside thewall from the ceiling plenum, typically, and enters the box through aconduit (30) and conduit connector (3), and through the strain relief(4). The plug (24) on the cable is plugged into the back of a connector(22) on a connector panel (7). For ease of use, the panel (7) can bepopped out while the plug is attached, and then popped back in andfastened in place.

Cables (26) from the network stations can be led along the floor (28),preferably along the base of the modular walls or inside the modularwalls (which usually have removable lower moldings for just thispurpose), and through a slot (27) or other hole at the base of the wailsurface (21). They then pass upward through the open bottom (11) of thebox, and the plug (25) on the cable (26) is connected to the appropriateconnector (22) on the connector panel (7).

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of theinvention herein described are merely illustrative of the application ofthe principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of theillustrated embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of theclaims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential tothe invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A connector box for communications cables, forflush mounting within a wall having an outer surface and a depth,comprising:a body comprising a back, three closed sides having a depthextending from the back, the depth of the sides being less than thedepth of the wall, and an open fourth side, the fourth side being leftopen for the passage of cables therethrough; b) means for mounting thebody to the wall, flush with the outer surface of the wall, the bodybeing substantially completely contained within the wall when the bodyis mounted; c) at least one communication cable connector panel, eachpanel being removably mounted within the body and each panel having aplurality of communications connectors; d) each communication cableconnector panel being mounted within the body such that neither the atleast one connector panel nor the connectors extend beyond the sides ofthe body.
 2. The connector box of claim 1, in which the means formounting the box comprise a flange extending substantially completelyaround the sides of the body, perpendicular thereto and extendingoutwards thereof.
 3. The connector box of claim 1, in which the depth ofthe sides is no more than 3".
 4. The connector box of claim 1, in whichthe at least one connector panel nearest the open fourth side of thebody is mounted perpendicular to the back of the body such that thecables attached to the connectors on the at least one panel will passnearly directly through the open fourth side of the body.
 5. Theconnector box of claim 1, further comprising strain relief means forpreventing one of the cables from being pulled out of one of saidconnectors on the at least one connector panel, mounted to the body. 6.The connector box of claim 5 in which the cables have a characteristicdiameter, and the strain relief means comprises a panel, mounted on theback of the body, having a plurality of holes approximating the diameterof the cables, such that the cables are passed through the holes in thestrain relief means, preventing said one of the cables from being pulledout of said one of the connectors on the at least one connector panel.7. The connector box of claim 1, in which the at least one connectorpanel is mounted at an angle relative to the back of the body andparallel to the open fourth side of the body.